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The Monroe County Reporter • April 11, 2018
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PASTOR S CORNER by Rev. Marilyn Tucker-Marek
A disciple must give
time to being and doing
S top-
Pause.
Slowly, take a deep breath in.
And slowly let it out.
Again, slowly, take a deep breath in.
And slowly let it out.
Jesus withdrew to a deserted place to
pray.
Breathe in. And out.
Yet amid the traffic and ten
sion of our transient lives we
seldom carve out the sacred
space for stillness, slowness,
and sensing the holy presence.
Discipleship is often de
scribed in terms of doing. Feed
ing the hungry, giving water to
the thirsty, clothing the naked,
welcoming the stranger, visiting
the sick and the imprisoned.
Jesus talks about these things
and they are good, holy actions
to take, that the love of Christ
may be lived in the world.
But Jesus’ ministry was characterized by
times of doing, and times of being. Times
of caring for others, and time spent attend
ing to his own inner life, his own need, his
own spirit.
Mark says, “The apostles gathered
around Jesus, and told him all that they
had done and taught. He said to them,
‘Come away to a deserted place all by
yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were
coming and going, and they had no leisure
even to eat.” (Mark 6:30-31) Jesus knew the
importance of caring for ones’ self, for we
best serve one another when we ourselves
are rested, have eaten and had our thirst
quenched, are comfortably clothed, have
been welcomed, and in our own need
have received visitors bearing grace and
comfort.
Discipleship has two parts to its call, the
greatest commandment summing it up,
“Love your neighbor as you love yourself!’
Yet we live in a culture that too often takes
pride in breaking the commandment to
keep the Sabbath, and too often criticizes
those who actively work for a healthy bal
ance within their lives as being selfish.
As I write this I am attending a retreat in
tended to help pastors develop
a better sense of the balance
between doing and being,
serving and being served, so
that we might remain faithful
to God, faithful to our families,
and faithful to our call to serve
the church. Yet I keep thinking
how important this balance is,
not just for clergy, but for all
disciples of Christ. Indeed, for
all people.
So stop. Pause.
Slowly, take a deep breath in.
And slowly let it out.
Where is your deserted place?
When were you last there?
How is your balance between doing, and
being? Between serving, and being served?
For God knows a life of discipleship calls
us to the busy spaces, that we might fill the
needs of others, and to the quiet places,
that we might have our own needs filled.
Rev. Marilyn Tucker-Marek is the pas
tor of Forsyth Presbyterian Church, 63
North Jackson Street. The Pastors Corner is
sponsored by the Monroe County Ministe
rial Association, which meets on the second
Thursday of each month at 8 a.m. at The
Pickled Okra, 33 W. Johnston St. on the
Square.
REV. MARILYN
TUCKER-MAREK
F57
The First Baptist Church Praise Band will lead the music at The Bridge contemporary
service on Sundays at 11 a.m. beginning April 15. (Photo/Dennis Smith)
First Baptist adds contemporary service
First Baptist Church of
Forsyth will begin a con
temporary service for its
11 a.m. Sunday worship on
April 15. “The Bridge” con
temporary service is some
thing that the church has
been planning for a while
and is excited to introduce.
There will continue to be a
traditional worship service
at 9 a.m. on Sunday morn
ings.
Angelica Scoggins Butler
and the First Baptist praise
band will lead the music at
the contemporary service.
It will include songs from
familiar artists like Passion,
Elevation Worship, Chris
Tomlin, David Crowder,
Jesus Culture, Kari Jobe
and Matt Redman. First
Baptist Pastor Dr. Hambric
Brooks will deliver a ser
mon relevant to daily living
and encouraging a deeper
relationship with Christ.
Multi media will be part
of the sermon, music and
other components of the
contemporary service.
“We are excited about
what God is doing at First
Baptist and in Forsyth,”
said Brooks. “We would
love for you to come and
partner with us in what
God is doing!”
Nursery and Children’s
Church will be provided
for both 9 a.m. and 11
a.m. services. There will be
coffee and donuts in the
fellowship hall from 9:45-
10:15 a.m. First Baptist is
near downtown Forsyth at
95 West Morse Street.
CHURCH CALENDAR
Email church calendar news to Diane Glidewell at
news@mymcr.net by Monday at 10 a.m.
Church information is published free of charge as space permits.
April 10-12
Union Hill
Missionary Baptist
has Spring Revival
Union Hill Missionary Baptist
Church, 299 Union Hill Dr.,
Forsyth invites everyone to
its annual Spring Revival
on Tuesday-Thursday, April
10 -12 with services begin
ning nightly at 7 p.m. The
special guest speaker for the
week will be Rev. James C.
Marable of Bethel Baptist
Church in Barnesville.
April 12, 19-22
Powerhouse Apostolic
Church has Appreciation
Services
Powerhouse Apostol
ic Church of Promise, 3659
Brownlee Road, Forsyth invites
everyone to the Appreciation
Services for its Pastor, Bishop
Robert H. Jackson, and First
Lady, Josephine Jackson, on
April 12 at 7:30 p.m., April 19
at 8 p.m., April 20 at 7:30
p.m., April 21 at 2:30 p.m.
and April 22 at 4 p.m.
April 15
Dames Ferry Baptist
Church will host a
Gideon speaker
Dames Ferry Baptist Church,
208 Old Dames Ferry Rd,
Juliette, will be hosting a
Gideon speaker at the 11am
service on April 15th. Come
worship with us.
First Baptist begins new
worship schedule
First Baptist Church of For
syth, 95 W. Morse Street, will
begin its new worship sched
ule on Sunday, April 15. There
will be a traditional service
at 9 a.m., Sunday school at
10 a.m. and a contemporary
service at 11 a.m. All are
welcome.
New Providence Baptist
holds Public Safety
Appreciation Day
New Providence Baptist
Church, 2560 Hwy. 41 S,
Forsyth will have Public Safety
Appreciation Day on Sunday,
April 15 at 11 a.m. All are
invited for a day set aside
to honor those who work in
public safety, especially these
public servants and their fami
lies. The guest speaker will
be Kelvin Cochran, former
Atlanta Fire Chief. A recep
tion will follow the service.
Please register for the meal at
npbcsmarr.org/publicsafety.
Hanson Hickman A.M.E.
holds Appreciation
for Rev. Chatman
Hanson Hickman Chape
A.M.E. Church, 60 Moreland
Ave., Forsyth will celebrate an
appreciation for Rev. Robert
Chatman Sr. on Sunday, April
15 at 2 p.m. The Rev. Antonio
D. Proctor and the St. James
Baptist Church Family will be
special guests. Everyone is
invited.
April 21
Shiloh Baptist WMU has
Annual Lady Que
Shiloh Baptist Baptist Church
Women’s Missionary Union
will have its Annual Lady Que
on Saturday, April 21 from
9 a.m.-l p.m. at the Forsyth
Train Depot on Adams Street.
It will feature pulled pork,
chips, slaw and pound cake.
Tickets are $8 each. Call
Elizabeth at 478-342-4866
for more information and
tickets!
Rocky Creek Baptist has
yard sale
Rocky Creek Baptist Church
is holding a yard sale at the
Forsyth Depot on Saturday,
April 21 from 8 a.m.-l p.m. All
proceeds will go to the Build
ing and Grounds Fund for
repairs and improvements.
April 22
St. James Baptist
celebrates 152nd
Anniversary
St James Baptist Church,
110 James St., Forsyth will
celebrate its 152nd Church
Anniversary on Sunday, April
22. Worship begins at 11 a.m.
The guest speaker will be Dr.
Ankoma Anderson of Welfare
Baptist Church, Belton, S.C.
Lunch will be provided.
St. Phillip A.M.E.
celebrates Pastor
& First Lady’s
10th Anniversary
St. Phillip A.M.E. Church in
Culloden will celebrate the
Pastor and First Lady’s 10th
Anniversary on Sunday, April
22 at 11:30 a.m. The speaker
will be Bishop LaDamiun
Raines, Pastor of Shekinah
Glory Everlasting Ministries
in Barnesville. All are invited
to celebrate this special day
for our Pastor and First Lady,
Rev. Michael Davis and Sister
Andrea Davis. 478-885-2510
St. Paul Missionary
Baptist honors
Rev. Reid
The St. Paul Missionary
Baptist Church Family invites
everyone to celebrate an
appreciation program in
honor of Assistant Pastor Rev.
Barbara Reid for 20 years of
service on Sunday, April 22
at 2 p.m. The guest speaker
will be Rev. David Blalock
along with Mt. Pleasant
Baptist Church family from
Barnesville as special guest.
St. Paul Baptist Church is
located at 591 Elbert Jackson
Road, Forsyth. Rev. Rufus J.
Whatley, pastor.
Piney Grove Baptist
has Pastor’s Anniversary
The Piney Grove Baptist
Church Family, 98 Joe Cham
bers Rd., Forsyth invites other
pastors and church families
to share in the celebration
of Rev. Robert Walker M's 7th
Anniversary on Sunday, April
22 at 2:30 p.m. Guests will
be Rev. Eddie Johnson Sr. and
Macedonia Baptist Church of
Thomaston.
May 5
Maynard Baptist hosts
Women's Conference
Maynard Baptist Church,
1195 Juliette Rd., Forsyth, will
host a Women's Conference
prayer retreat, “May Day:
Hear and Be Heard," on Sat
urday, May 5 from 9:30 a.m.-
3 p.m. There is no charge to
attend, and lunch is provided.
Childcare is available upon
request. Come hear how one
church has been transformed
by the power of intentional
prayer. Register online at
MaynardBC.comevents or
call 478-994-2120 by April
28.
Southern Rivers Energy Trust
awards $15,000 in scholarships
Southern Rivers
Energy and the
Southern Rivers
Energy Trust, Inc.
awarded $15,000
in scholarships to
five local students.
This year the Trust
received 36 quali
fied applications
from across the
nine-county ser
vice territory to be
judged blindly by a
scholarship panel
made up of retired
teachers. Applicants were evaluated
on the core values that Touchstone
Energy Cooperatives, like Southern
Rivers Energy, incorporate in their
business model: innovation, integ
rity, accountability and commitment
to community. The scholarship com
mittee also reviewed GPA, com
munity and school involvement and
letters of recommendation.
This year’s $3,000 scholarship
recipients are: Victoria Barnes of
Griffin from Spalding High School;
Jordan Carr of Forsyth from Mary
Persons High School;
Bayleigh Jackson of
Thomaston from Upson-
Lee High School; Hannah
Nauck of Concord from
Pike County High School;
and Taylor Smith of
Zebulon from Pike County
High School.
The SRE Trust
Scholarship program is
funded by SRE’s Operation
Round Up® program. In
addition to the scholar
ships, the SRE Trust also
funds projects from deserv
ing charitable community organi
zations and individuals and the
Bright Ideas teacher grant program.
Bright Ideas and the SRE Trust
Scholarship program combined dis
tribute $30,000 directly to education
each year. This is in addition to any
grants that schools may receive from
the parent Operation Round Up®
program. Since 2007, the SRE Trust
has awarded $170,000 in scholar
ships to local students. For more
information visit southernriversen-
ergy.com.
IORDAN CARR
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994-1666
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